Aberdeen Village reports another COVID-19 positive employee

Another Aberdeen Village non-essential, non-direct resident care employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee, who last worked July 30, has been in self-quarantine since that date due to exposure to another campus employee who tested positive for the virus.

“We continue to keep the safety of our residents and employees at the forefront as we work to fight against the COVID-19 virus,” said Jeanne Gerstenkorn, PMMA’s infection preventionist and vice president for health and wellness.

The Johnson County Health Department and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Epidemiology Hotline have been notified, along with all other required federal and state agencies. The Johnson County Health Department does not recommend additional testing at this time because the employee has been self-quarantined since July 30. The individual is not showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

Families, residents and employees have been notified regarding the positive employee. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been notified of the positive test per Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation.

We follow CDC and KDHE guidelines for when an employee may return to work. Under the current guidelines, symptomatic employees may return to work when at least 72 hours have passed since resolution of the employee’s fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and the employee’s symptoms have improved and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Asymptomatic positive employees will quarantine for 14 days. Upon the employee’s return to work, we will follow CDC recommendations related to work practices and restrictions.

Aberdeen Village implemented a strict no visitor policy at the community and discontinued group activities and communal dining for the entire campus per guidelines released by CMS and the CDC on March 13.

All employees are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines and best practices as these are continually updated. We have been screening employees as they enter the community building for a shift and before employees have any direct contact with residents. We educate all staff to stay at home if they are experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness or not feeling well.

For more information about Aberdeen Village’s response, go to PMMA’s (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America’s) website, presbyterianmanors.org/media-room.

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